Description
These Chile Colorado Burritos feature tender beef chuck roast simmered in a rich, smoky chili sauce made from dried guajillo, ancho, and New Mexico chiles. Wrapped in warm flour tortillas and topped with melted Mexican cheese, these burritos deliver authentic Mexican flavors with optional toppings like sour cream and avocado for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Sauce
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 dried ancho chiles
- 2 dried New Mexico chiles
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup water
Burritos
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the Chiles: Remove stems and seeds from the dried guajillo, ancho, and New Mexico chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Then soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes to soften.
- Make Chile Puree: Drain the softened chiles and blend them with 1 cup of beef broth until smooth. Set the chile puree aside.
- Sear the Beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef chuck cubes and brown on all sides. Once seared, remove the beef and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until softened and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add Spices: Stir in ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to coat the aromatics with the spices.
- Simmer the Beef: Return the seared beef to the pot. Pour in the chile puree along with the remaining 3 cups of beef broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
- Thicken the Sauce: Mix the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup water to make a slurry. Stir this into the simmering sauce and cook for an additional 10 minutes to thicken.
- Assemble Burritos: Warm the flour tortillas. Spoon generous portions of the beef and sauce onto each tortilla, then sprinkle with shredded Mexican cheese. Roll the tortillas tightly into burritos.
- Optional – Smothered Style: Place the burritos seam-side down in a baking dish. Spoon extra chile sauce over the top and sprinkle with additional cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve the burritos hot with optional toppings like sour cream, avocado slices, and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- You can substitute beef chuck roast with pork or chicken for variation.
- To reduce spiciness, remove some or all of the chile seeds before soaking.
- Leftover chile colorado can be used as a filling for enchiladas or quesadillas.
- Warming tortillas before assembling helps prevent breakage and improves texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burrito
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
